The psychosocial effects of hearing loss on intimate relationships

Abstract

Hearing loss (HL) disrupts a person’s ability to hear and thus communicate effectively with those around them. It creates a sort of invisible barrier between affected individuals and the people they interact with; namely their friends, families, and spouses. When failed to be accepted as a new norm or when left untreated, hearing loss upsets the balance in relationships, specifically intimate relationships, which rely on clear and constant verbal interaction. ¶

I will review existing literature on the effects of HL on social and intimate relationships that attempt to clarify why some adults thrive after being diagnosed with hearing loss and others don't. I will then propose an original study which will seek to find a relationship between two variables as a potential influence of the success and hindrance factors for couples with HL. I will follow the less common line of research which focuses on the experience of the unaffected spouse, rather than that of the individual with hearing loss. ¶

The goal of the proposed research will be to discover a link between two factors, previously unaddressed in relation to one another: timing of hearing loss onset in a marital relationship and the psychosocial experience of the unaffected spouse. Researchers will analyze hearing members' attitudes toward their spouses’ HL through the lens of Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development (Erikson, 1950). Psychosocial development will be looked at in terms of its significance on the response of unaffected spouses toward their partners’ hearing loss. Conversely, the response of hearing spouses toward their partners’ hearing loss will be studied to see how it influences their progression through psychosocial development. With this newfound knowledge of how hearing loss affects spousal relationships at different life stages, providers will be more equipped to provide adequate treatment to couples with HL.